1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to shields for vehicle wire harnesses and more particularly to a shield having a part that can alter a length of the shield and change angular position to accommodate installation requirements.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In vehicles and other environments, electrical cables and wire harnesses need to be guided to an electrical component from a power supply, restrained from unnecessary or damaging movement, and protected from contaminants. For example, in automotive vehicles, a fan clutch is often used to engage or disengage a radiator fan based on engine or engine coolant temperature. An electrical cable or wire harness is routed to the fan clutch assembly to power the clutch based on, for example, a signal from a thermostat. The wire harness needs to be somewhat protected from the elements and prevented from interfering with the fan. Wire harness shields in this type of environment are often molded in one piece and secured to brackets extending from vehicle components in the engine compartment. An example of such a shield is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,903,275.
Some existing wire harness shields, such as those used in vehicle steering columns, have parts that can slide relative to each other after installation. However, extending a shield without the ability to rotate ends of the shield relative to each other often prevents or makes very difficult assembly and installation of the shield. U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,040 discloses a steering column wire protector that enables axial and rotational movement of the harness after installation. In this case, the wiring is fixed in position to a carrier, and the carrier has a slide pin that can move axially and rotationally relative to a bracket holding the carrier to a steering column. The protector does not change in length and one end of the protector does not rotate relative to another end.